October 1 is World Sake Day, marking the beginning of sake brewing season in Japan, and all month long at West Loop's TenGoku Aburiya (owned by Michelin-starred Chef Sangtae Park and Kate Park) sommelier and beverage director Tenzing Palden is crafting flights of sake to celebrate. I talked with Palden about sake's classier, more grown up vibe, pairings beyond raw fish, and how sake is taking over the midwest and beyond. Read on to find more about each week's flight and how you can impress guests with your new-found sake knowledge.
When I think sake, it harkens back to late nights in trendy sushi/nightclub venues. How can we take the sake of our youth and age it to where we are now in our tastes?
The expansion of Japanese cuisine has opened the door for sake to become a dinner table beverage. In recent decades, there has been a shift of interest in premium sake due to higher levels of quality control in breweries, stricter regulations on yield/production and a rise in consumer demand.
Sake isn't just for sushi. What are some unexpected pairings, and what is the best way to figure out which sake goes with what food?
Most people think sake only pairs well with more delicate dishes like fish, but it also compliments dishes with richer flavors depending on the style. For example, Genshu, undiluted sake, generally has a very robust flavor profile with a waxy and layered mouth feel which pair nicely with dishes like steak. When pairing sake, we follow the same principles as any other food/beverage pairing: structure, intensity, congruence or contrast, and primary/secondary flavor profiles.
Even someone who is unfamiliar with the complexities of wine can make an easy red or white choice. When it comes to choosing a sake, what are the touch points, or clues, that will let consumers know they may like to order a glass of that?
Sake has many designations and classifications for production and style, but the polishing ratio is the easiest to follow, which is the percentage of the original rice kernel that remains after polishing. The main ratios are Honzojo (70%), Ginjo (60%), and Daiginjo (50%). Generally, a higher milling percentage produces a cleaner, smoother sake. Other classifications, such as kimoto or yamahai production techniques and special brewing methods like tokubetsu, strongly influence the end product's flavor profiles.
Sake is celebratory in its roots. How can we partake in that celebration and hold true to its origins?
Many sake houses are rich in tradition, and diving into their history can often create a deeper connection with the beverage and ultimately a more enjoyable drinking experience! I encourage people to visit sake breweries, there are a few right here in the U.S. including in nearby Minneapolis.
Like wine, sake comes at many different price points. What are some mid-level budget picks to impress guests or choose at your next restaurant outing?
Mana 1751 “True Vision” Tokubetsu Yamahai muroku Junmai Tokubetsu ~$35
Staying true to its name, this is a sake with the pure expression of the Fukui prefecture. Using native yeast, this sake is unfiltered (muroka) and undiluted (genshu). Aromas of mushroom and hints of tropical fruit make the palate rich and weighty, with flavors of white pepper and fresh cream. It’s a full-bodied sake, but it maintains levels of elegance or balance. Pair this sake with marinated pork or grilled lamb.
Massumi “Shiro” Junmai Ginjo ~$30
On the opposite end of the spectrum from “true vision” is Massumi’s “Shiro.” Hailing from the Japanese Nagano prefecture, the Suwa brewery is surrounded by the Yatsugatake “eight peaks” mountain range. This alpine freshness finds its way into their “Shiro” (white) sake, which is lean and racy, streamlined on the palate with notes of citrus zest and white flowers. This sake is ideal for wine drinkers who prefer a mineral-driven beverage with loads of freshness. Pair this sake with raw seafood.
TenGoku Aburiya will feature a weekly flight of sake with three unique $25 pours curated by Palden to honor the thoughtful craftsmanship of four trailblazing Japanese breweries. Details on each weeks sake are below:
WEEK 1 (10/1 - 10/6) JOTO SAKE: Meaning “highest quality” in Japanese, Joto Sake’s local (jizake) breweries produce small batches featuring indigenous rice varieties to offer a range of flavors that pair well with many styles of cuisine. Featuring tastes of their refined “The One with the Clocks” Daiginjo, fruity “The Green One” Junmai and earthy “The Blue One” Nigori, this flight showcases the depth and sophistication of Japanese artisanal sake.
WEEK 2 (10/8 - 10/13) RIHAKU SAKE BREWING COMPANY: Each sake from Rihaku’s portfolio is artfully crafted with a different type of rice at one of the highest average milling rates as a testament and dedication to its exquisite quality. A pour of the “Dance of Discovery” Junmai brewed with Kan no Mai (a smoky, saline rice) offers sweet tasting notes, while the “Wandering Poet” Junmai Ginjo featuring Yamada Nishiki rice is a stark contrast; its bright flavors of banana and ripe honeydew perfectly complement even the most wine-unfriendly vegetables. To finish, the “Origin of Purity” Junmai Ginjo Genshu is a complex yet balanced namazake (“undiluted sake”) with bold layers of smoke, molasses, toast cereal, and candied nuts that result in a powerful showcase of the difficult-to-harvest Omachi rice in its purest form.
WEEK 3 (10/15 - 10/20) DEWAZAKURA SAKE BREWERY: Founded in 1892, one of Japan’s oldest breweries is still brewing some of the best sake in the world while staying at the forefront of innovation. The result: an explosion of flavors and textures showcased in each pour — from the “Green Ridge” Nama Genshu Yamagata with its rich, velvety texture and notes of green apple to the bone dry and mineral-driven “Tenth Degree” Izumi Judan. Yet the most expressive sake from this brewery is the “Jewel Brocade” Omachi Junmai Ginjo, filled with honey, flower, and lemon peel aromas on the nose for a perfectly balanced drinking experience.
WEEK 4 (10/22 - 10/27) FUKUCHO: A female pioneer in the world of sake as one of the first Toji (master brewer), Miho Imada’s inspiration comes from the Seto Inland Sea in her hometown of Akitsu, Hiroshima — evident in the names given to each style of sake brewed. “Moon on the Water” Junmai Ginjo is bottled immediately upon fermentation to preserve its vibrant fruit aromas, leaving an elegant after-finish on the nose. “Seaside” Sparkling sake was developed from Miho’s experimentation with infusing white koji into the brewing process, delivering an effervescent sensation with each sip. “Forgotten Fortune” Junmai is brewed with an heirloom brand of Hattanso rice that took Miho over 10 years to revive from extinction, resulting in tasting notes of full earthy flavors.
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